Insulation piercing electrical tap connectors

ABSTRACT

Various implementations of insulation piercing connectors are disclosed. The insulation piercing connectors include a simple and efficient design for providing electrical tap connections to a power cable for voltage detection purposes. The insulation piercing connector includes at least a top housing and a bottom housing that come together to receive the power cable. Terminal contacts are housed internally within the insulation piercing connector, and the terminal contacts are positioned to pierce the power cable when the insulation piercing connector is assembled into an operational state.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION(S)

This application claims benefit to U.S. Provisional Patent ApplicationNo. 62/818,912, filed on Mar. 15, 2019, the entirety of which is herebyincorporated by reference herein.

BACKGROUND

Insulation piercing electrical tap connectors may be used to attachsensing conductors, also known as tap wires, to a power cable. Somevoltage detection devices (e.g., some Absence of Voltage Tester (AVT)products) may use dual independent electrical tap connections to eachphase of a power cable to perform voltage detection. Voltage detectiondevices may be mounted inside of a control panel. Applications existwithin various industries that may benefit from permanent installationof voltage detection devices.

SUMMARY

The present disclosure describes insulation piercing connectors. Anexemplary insulation piercing connector according to an embodimentincludes a tap wire housing, a top housing, a contact and an innerinsulator. The contact may be located within the top housing, and theinner insulator may surround a first end of the contact. When assembled,the top housing and the tap wire housing may be removably connected, andthe top housing and bottom housing may form a central aperture.

An exemplary method of installing an insulation piercing connectoraccording to an embodiment includes inserting a tap wire into a terminalhousing of an insulation piercing assembly, inserting a phase wirebetween a top housing and bottom housing, and compressing the tophousing and the bottom housing, where a blade of the insulation piercingassembly contacts the phase wire.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The following detailed description references the drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 shows an insulation piercing connector according to an embodimentof the present disclosure;

FIG. 2 shows an exploded view of the insulation piercing connector shownin FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 shows an exploded view of the insulation piercing connector shownin FIG. 1 according to another assembled state;

FIG. 4 shows an exploded view of the insulation piercing connector shownin FIG. 1 according to another assembled state;

FIG. 5A shows an enlarged view of a portion of the insulation piercingconnector shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 5B shows another enlarged view of a portion of the insulationpiercing connector shown in FIG. 5A;

FIG. 6 shows the insulation piercing connector in FIG. 1 and furtherincluding exemplary tap wires and a power cable;

FIG. 7 shows an exploded view of the insulation piercing connector shownin FIG. 6 according to another assembled state;

FIG. 8 shows an exploded view of the insulation piercing connector shownin FIG. 6 according to another assembled state;

FIG. 9 shows an exploded view of the insulation piercing connector shownin FIG. 6 according to another assembled state;

FIG. 10 shows a view of the insulation piercing connector shown in FIG.6 according to an assembled state;

FIG. 11 shows a cross-sectional view along line 11-11 from FIG. 10 ofthe insulation piercing connector;

FIG. 12 shows an insulation piercing connector according to anotherembodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 13 shows an exploded view of an insulation piercing connectoraccording to another embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 14 shows an enlarged view of a portion of the insulation piercingconnector shown in FIG. 13;

FIG. 15 shows an exploded view of the insulation piercing connectorshown in FIG. 13 according to another assembled state;

FIG. 16 shows an exploded view of the insulation piercing connectorshown in FIG. 13 according to another assembled state;

FIG. 17 shows a view of the insulation piercing connector shown in FIG.13 according to an assembled state;

FIG. 18A shows an exploded view of a portion of the insulation piercingconnector shown in FIG. 13;

FIG. 18B shows a view of the portion of the insulation piercingconnector shown in FIG. 18A and an enlarged portion corresponding to anattachment component in an assembled state;

FIG. 19A shows an enlarged view of a portion of the insulation piercingconnector shown in FIG. 18A in an attached state;

FIG. 19B shows an enlarged view of a portion of the insulation piercingconnector shown in FIG. 19A in a detached state;

FIG. 20 shows a bottom-side view of the portion of the insulationpiercing connector shown in FIG. 18B;

FIG. 21 shows an exploded view of an insulation piercing connectoraccording to another embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 22 shows the insulation piercing connector shown in FIG. 21 usingan alternative embodiment of terminal contacts;

FIG. 23 shows an exploded view of the insulation piercing connectorshown in FIG. 21 according to another assembled state;

FIG. 24 shows a view of the insulation piercing connector shown in FIG.21 according to an assembled state;

FIG. 25 shows a view of an integral screw-terminal contact included inthe insulation piercing connector shown in FIG. 21, where the integralscrew-terminal contact is attached to a wire;

FIG. 26 shows a view of the integral screw-terminal contact shown inFIG. 25;

FIG. 27A shows an integral screw-terminal contact according to analternative embodiment;

FIG. 27B shows an integral screw-terminal contact according to analternative embodiment; and

FIG. 27C shows an integral screw-terminal contact according to analternative embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Permanent installation of Absence of Voltage Tester (AVT) products in acabinet may often be simplified by using electrical tap connectors forpermanent connection of AVT tap wires. These AVT products may be used tosense the voltage of a variety of wires or power cables having a varietyof different sizes. Additionally, more than one wire in each cabinet mayneed to be tested/sensed. Thus, the installation of multiple electricaltap connectors in a single cabinet creates an over-crowded and crampedspace that can make the cabinet a more difficult workspace. For example,this may require an electrician or other personnel to manipulate theposition, angle, or location of the multiple electrical tap connectors,tap wires, or phase wires (power cables) within the cabinet.

The disclosed insulation piercing connectors are designed for use inelectrical cabinets, or other appropriate applications, and addressesthis cramped cabinet environment by offering a smaller footprint and aconfiguration adapted to fit well within the cabinet environment.Additionally, the disclosed insulation piercing connectors are providedto address a wider range of wire gauge sizes so end-users may have aconsistent design aesthetic and installation methodology regardless ofwire size.

The disclosed insulation piercing connector solves or improves upon oneor more of the above noted problems and disadvantages. The disclosedinsulation piercing connector provides a system for sensing voltage in acompact configuration connectable in or out of a control panel.Embodiments of the present disclosure illustrate an insulation-piercingelectrical tap connector that may provide a consistent design aestheticand installation methodology for a wider range of wire gauge sizes.

These and other objects, features, and advantages of the presentdisclosure will become apparent to those having ordinary skill in theart upon reading this disclosure.

FIGS. 1-11 show illustrations of an insulation piercing connector 100according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. The insulationpiercing connector 100 is configured to provide dual independentelectrical tap connections between a voltage detection device (notshown) and a cable (e.g., a power cable or phase wire).

As seen in FIG. 1, the insulation piercing connector 100 is shown in anexemplary assembled configuration that is ready for receipt by acustomer. The insulation piercing connector 100 includes a top housing104, a bottom housing 106, an outer insulator 102, nuts 114, and bolts116. The nuts 114 may be hex nuts, or any other suitable fastener. Thebolts 116 may be screws, carriage bolts, or any other suitable fastener.In the embodiment, a top portion of the bottom housing 106 includesfirst concave portions 110 forming concave-down semi-circles on oppositefaces of the bottom housing 106. Second concave portions 112 are locatedon a bottom portion of the top housing 104, forming concave-upsemi-circles on opposite faces of the top housing 104. The first concaveportions 110 and the second concave portions 112 define a centralaperture 108 through the insulation piercing connector 100 for receivinga cable. In an embodiment, the insulation piercing connector 100 mayinclude first concave portions 110 and second concave portions 112 onboth a front face and a rear face of the insulation piercing connector100 that are opposite each other. In an alternate embodiment, theinsulation piercing connector 100 may include first concave portions 110and second concave portions 112 on only one of a front face or a rearface of the insulation piercing connector 100.

In the embodiment, the outer insulator 102 may be made of rubber orother elastomer material. In an alternate embodiment, the outerinsulator 102 may be made of any other suitable non-conductive material.The top housing 104 and the bottom housing 106 may be constructed of thesame or similar polymers/plastics. In an alternate embodiment, the tophousing 104 and the bottom housing 106 may be constructed from differentmaterials, where the different materials may be non-conductingmaterials. In one example, top housing 104 and bottom housing 106 may bemade of a glass-filled nylon polymer.

FIGS. 2-4 show exploded views of the insulation piercing connector 100during various states of assembly. FIG. 2 shows the insulation piercingconnector 100 in an exploded view to show components spaced apart, suchas before any assembly may have occurred. In addition to the featuresdescribed above in FIG. 1, the insulation piercing connector 100additionally includes a tap wire housing 118, terminal adjustment screws120, terminal housings 122, stamped contacts 124, spring washers 126,flat washers 128, inner insulators 130, and support plate 132. The innerinsulators 130 may be made of rubber or other elastomer material, oralternatively, any suitable non-conducting material. The terminaladjustment screws 120 may be any screw, bolt, or other type of fastener.Additionally, although depicted as spring washers 126 and flat washers128, spring washers 126 and flat washers 128 may be any type of suitablewasher according to other embodiments.

According to an exemplary method of assembly, the stamped contacts 124may move upward through the bottom of the top housing 104 withinchannels (not shown) formed inside the top housing 104. The terminalhousings 122 may move downward into the top of top housing 104 to meetshoulders of the stamped contacts 124. The terminal adjustment screws120 may secure the terminal housings 122 with the stamped contacts 124when positioned in top housing 104.

FIG. 3 shows the terminal adjustment screws 120, the terminal housings122, and the stamped contacts 124 assembled together to form athree-piece insulation piercing assembly. In the example embodiment, theinsulation piercing assembly is depicted outside of the top housing 104for ease of understanding and viewing, however, the insulation piercingassembly of the insulation piercing connector 100 is configured to behoused within the top housing 104 when in the assembled state.Accordingly, while the stamped contacts 124 are within the top housing104, to assemble the insulation piercing assembly the terminal housings122 are moved downward onto the stamped contacts 124. Next, the terminaladjustment screws 120 are positioned into the terminal housings 122.Once assembled, the insulation piercing assembly includes a space 174(as shown in FIG. 6) between an inner-most wall of the terminal housing122 and the stamped contacts 124 where tap wires 192 are inserted toform an electrical connection between the stamped contacts 124 and thevoltage sensing device (not shown). The stamped contacts 124 may be madefrom a metal alloy.

Also shown in FIG. 3, the outer insulator 102 includes a top portion 140having an opening 142 through which the tap wires 192 are received. Inan alternate embodiment, top portion 140 may include more than or lessthan one opening 142. The outer insulator 102 additionally includes afirst window 156 on a first side of the outer insulator 102, and asecond window (not shown) mirrored on a second side of the outerinsulator 102. The first window 156 and the second window are openingson the outer insulator 102. According to some embodiments, the outerinsulator 102 may not include one, or both, of the first window 156 orthe second window.

The exemplary tap wire housing 118 additionally includes a first window158 on a first side of the tap wire housing 118 and a second window (notshown) mirrored on a second side of the tap wire housing 118. The firstwindow 158 and the second window are openings on the tap wire housing118. According to some embodiments, the tap wire housing 118 may notinclude one, or both, of the first window 158 or the second window.

The tap wire housing 118 also includes a top portion 144 having twoapertures 146. In an alternate embodiment, the top portion 144 mayinclude more than or less than two apertures 146. The two apertures 146and the opening 142 may be for the insertion of wires or cables throughthe example insulation piercing connector 100.

Exemplary top housing 104 includes seated portions 160 where theterminal adjustment screws 120 and terminal housings 122 of theinsulation piercing assembly abut and rest on when placed into the tophousing 104. The seated portions 160 may be recess features within thetop housing 104. The stamped contacts 124 extend upward through channelswithin the body of the top housing 104 to have the shoulders of thestamped contacts 124 reach the seated portions 160 to interact with theterminal housings 122 and terminal adjustment screws 120 when theterminal housings 122 are placed into the top housing 104. The tophousing 104 additionally includes openings 148 and correspondingcylindrical extensions 150, and the bottom housing 106 includes openings152 for receiving the cylindrical extensions 150. The bolts 116 areprovided to be inserted and extend through the openings 152 when theinsulation piercing connector 100 is further assembled. Although notexpressly depicted, cylindrical extensions 150 may optionally internallyinclude threads to engage with the threaded portion of bolts 116.

Support plate 132 includes cut outs 154 for allowing the bolts 116 toextend through. The cut outs 154 are depicted in FIG. 3 as having asquare shape because the bolts 116 may optionally include square shanks.However, the cut outs 154 may be any shape for allowing the bolts 116 toextend through. The support plate 132 may be made from metal stamping.

FIG. 4 shows the insulation piercing connector 100 in an assembly statewhere the insulation piercing assembly is positioned to be housed withinthe top housing 104. In FIG. 4, the stamped contacts 124 are onlypartially visible as the stamped contacts 124 are housed within the tophousing 104. The terminal adjustment screws 120 may contact the stampedcontacts 124 and adjust the relative position of the terminal housings122. According to an installation example, during installation anelectrician may apply a torque using a tool, such as a screwdriver, onthe terminal adjustment screws 120. This torque may thereby applypressure on tap wires 192 (shown in FIG. 7) being compressed between oneface or wall of the terminal housing 122 and one face of the stampedcontact 124 (within spaces 174), until a specified torque value isachieved.

Additionally, FIG. 4 illustrates a directional arrow 170 representingthe movement of the inner insulators 130 upward towards the inside ofthe top housing 104 to partially or fully surround the tines/blades ofthe stamped contacts 124. The dashed lines 172 represent theinterconnection of elements 114, 126, 128, 132, and 116 with respect tothe other features of insulation piercing connector 100.

FIGS. 5A and 5B illustrate views looking up into a bottom-side of thetop housing 104. The top housing 104 includes a top portion 180 and abottom portion 182, as well as a front face 190 and a back face (notshown) that is opposite to the front face 190. The top housing 104further includes cylindrical extensions 150 and a second concave portion112 on both the front face 190 and the back face (not shown). FIG. 5Ashows the uncovered tines or blades of stamped contacts 124, where thedirectional arrow 170 indicates the direction of movement of the innerinsulators 130 for them to be installed within the top housing 104. FIG.5B shows, in the example embodiment, the inner insulators 130 in aninstalled state where the inner insulators are positioned to cover overthe blades of the stamped contacts 124. The inner insulators 130 may beU-shaped and include an opening at the top to surround the stampedcontacts 124. In an alternate embodiment, the inner insulators 130 maytake on one of a variety of different shapes including semi-circular,rectangular, etc. In an alternate embodiment, the stamped contacts 124and the inner insulators 130 may be positioned into the top housing 104from the top or sides of the top housing 104.

FIGS. 6-11 show the insulation piercing connector 100 further includingtap wires 192 and the power cable or phase wire 196 during variousstages of assembly, according to some embodiments. In FIG. 6, tap wires192 are inserted through the opening 142 of the outer insulator 102 andsubsequently moved through apertures 146 of the tap wire housing 118,toward the central aperture 108. According to the embodiments relatingto FIG. 6, the tap wires 192 are inserted vertically downwards throughthe insulation piercing connector 100. An exterior sleeve or outerinsulating casing of the tap wires 192 may be stripped off to expose theinner conductor 194 of the tap wires 192, as shown by the exposed endsof the tap wires 192 shown in FIG. 6. In an alternate embodiment, thetap wires 192 may have been manufactured to include the exposed endsshowing the inner conductor 194. In FIG. 7, the inner conductor 194 atthe exposed ends of the tap wires 192 are inserted into the spaces 174between the wall of the terminal housings 122 and the face of thestamped contacts 124.

According to the embodiments illustrated by FIG. 6, the phase wire 196is positioned in the central aperture 108. The phase wire 196 may bepositioned perpendicular to the tap wires 192, or according to analternate embodiment, the phase wire 196 may be placed in the centralaperture 108 at a later point in assembly of the insulation piercingconnector 100.

FIGS. 6 and 7 show the tap wire housing 118 and the top housing 104 asreceiving tap wires 192 prior to tap wire housing 118 being installedonto top housing 104. During the assembly process, the tap wire housing118 may be assembled onto top housing 104 prior to the inclusion of tapwires 192. Therefore, the tap wire housing 118 may have a transparent,opaque or semi-transparent quality, and the tap wire housing 118 may bemade from polycarbonate materials, or any other suitable polymer ornon-conducting material. This quality may aid an electrician's assemblyof the insulation piercing connector 100 by allowing the electrician tosee when tap wires 192 are appropriately situated within tap wirehousing 118 and top housing 104. In an alternate embodiment, the tapwire housing 118 and top housing 104 may receive the tap wires 192 priorto the attachment of the tap wire housing 118 onto top housing 104.

According to the insulation piercing connector 100 shown in FIG. 8, thetap wire housing 118 is positioned onto top housing 104 with tap wires192 properly installed within the insulation piercing connector 100.According to some embodiments, the top housing 104 may have a cantileversnap-fit feature 111 that engages into one or more recesses on the tapwire housing 118 (e.g., the first window 158 and/or the second window).In an alternate embodiment, the tap wire housing 118 may form aconnection with top housing 104 via any appropriate securing mechanism.

FIG. 9 shows the exemplary insulation piercing connector 100 with theouter insulator 102 positioned over the tap wire housing 118. Afterverification of a proper tap wire installation, an electrician may movethe outer insulator 102 downward towards the tap wire housing 118 untilthe outer insulator 102 completely encompasses and/or obscures the tapwire housing 118. The outer insulator 102 may friction-fit with the tapwire housing 118. In an alternate embodiment, the tap wire housing 118may form a connection with the outer insulator 102 via any appropriatesecuring mechanism. Once the outer insulator 102 is fully fitted ontotap wire housing 118, a cable tie may be placed on the top portion 140of outer insulator 102 to secure the tap wires 192 in place.

The outer insulator 102 may provide a variety of advantages to thepresent disclosure, two of which may include (1) ensuring electricalisolation of internal energized metal from the exterior of theinsulation piercing connector 100, and (2) providing supplemental cablerouting and retention capability for securing installed tap wires 192when cable ties (or other cable management devices) are installed justbelow the opening 142. In an example, installation and securement of tapwires 192 may be completed before assembly of the insulation piercingconnector 100 to phase wire 196.

FIG. 9 shows insulation piercing connector 100 with phase wire 196resting on first concave portions 110 and ready for connection. In thecurrent embodiment, the bolts 116 and support plate 132 (not shown) arepositioned into recesses (not shown) within the bottom housing 106. Thethreaded portion of the bolts 116 follows dashed lines 172 into thecylindrical extensions 150 of top housing 104. The nuts 114, springwashers 126, and flat washers 128 may follow the path of the dashedlines 172 to be threaded onto the carriage bolts 116 as they appearthrough openings 148. Torque may be applied to the nuts 114 until aspecified torque is achieved which ensures proper termination of theinsulation piercing connector 100 onto the phase wire 196. An example ofproper termination and a final assembly state for the insulationpiercing connector 100 may be seen in FIG. 10. Although including twobolts 116 is optional, there are several advantages to having two bolts116 in the example insulation piercing connector 100 disclosed. One suchadvantage may include that as torque is applied to both sides of theinsulation piercing connector 100 the housing (both top housing 104 andbottom housing 106) are less apt to relax over time from a polymericperspective. Additionally, the support plate 132 may reinforce thebottom housing 106 against any plastic relaxation, which may provide asolid connection over time.

FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 11-11 of theinsulation piercing connector 100 shown in FIG. 10. The inner insulators130 respectively cover the teeth/blades of stamped contacts 124 prior tothe insulation piercing connector 100 being compressed around phase wire196. The inner insulators 130 prevent voltage leakage prior tocompression of the top housing 104 with the bottom housing 106.

Once compressed, however, the teeth/blades of stamped contacts 124 maypenetrate through the inner insulators 130 due to the compression forceand may be exposed to the outer insulating layer of the phase wire 196.When further compression occurs, the two stamped contacts 124 penetratesthe outer insulating layer of the phase wire 196 and contacts theconductor core of the phase wire 196 (which may be solid or stranded),thereby providing dual independent electrical connections to phase wire196 via the two stamped contacts 124. The inner insulators 130 at thispoint prevent voltage leakage at the connection points between thestamped contacts 124 and the phase wire 196. In an alternate embodiment,a greater or fewer number of stamped contacts 124 and inner insulators130 may be included depending on the intended configuration and purpose.

In an alternate embodiment, a pin in sleeve contact or a DB styleconnector may be utilized to replace the stamped contacts 124 shown inFIG. 11. Additionally, the embodiments disclosed may include a circuitboard for providing an electrical coupling between the stamped contacts124 and the tap wires 192.

FIG. 12 shows an insulation piercing connector 200 according to analternative embodiment of the present disclosure. The insulationpiercing connector 200 is similar to the insulation piercing connector100. The insulation piercing connector 200 includes an outer insulator202, a top housing 204 and a bottom housing 206. However, insulationpiercing connector 200 may be made into a variety of different sizes tofit a variety of different power cables or phase wires. In an example,the axes 201 of the main fasteners or bolts moves inward or outward asalternate embodiment sizes get smaller or larger, respectively.Additionally, the diameter 203 of the opening may get smaller or largeras alternate embodiment sizes get smaller or larger, respectively, toaccommodate different ranges of wire gauge sizes of the power cable orphase wire being tested by the insulation piercing connector 200.

FIG. 13 shows an exploded view of an insulation piercing connector 300according to another embodiment of the present disclosure. Thisalternative design of the insulation piercing connector 300 provides aconsistent design aesthetic and installation methodology for a widerrange of wire gauge sizes of phase wires that will be tested.

The insulation piercing connector 300 includes an outer insulator 302for covering over a tap wire housing 318, where the attachment mechanismbetween the outer insulator 302 and the tap wire housing 318 isdescribed in more detail with reference to FIGS. 18-20. The outerinsulator 302 provides electrical isolation from the interior of theinsulation piercing connector 300, and provide a shape for enablingcable routing and retention features for securing installed tap wiresusing, for example, cable ties or other cable management devices.

The insulation piercing connector 300 further includes a top housing 304and a bottom housing 306. The top housing 304 includes a bottom portionformed in a concave portion, and the bottom housing 306 includes a topportion formed in a concave portion. The top housing 304 and the bottomhousing 306 are configured to come together in an assembled state toreceive the phase wire 396 to fit within a cylindrical recess formed bythe respective concave portions of the top housing 304 and the bottomhousing 306. For example, FIG. 17 shows the insulation piercingconnector 300 in the assembled state where the top housing 304 and thebottom housing 306 have come together to receive the phase wire 396 tofit within the cylindrical recess formed by the respective concaveportions of the top housing 304 and the bottom housing 306.

As shown in FIG. 13, the insulation piercing connector 300 includesvarious fastener and connection components to bring the insulationpiercing connector 300 into the final assembled state. To secure the tapwire housing 318 to the top housing 304, two screws 303 (e.g.,self-tapping screws) are inserted down through openings on the tap wirehousing 318 and secured into threaded receiving holes in the top housing304. To secure the top housing 304 to the bottom housing 306, two bolts316 (e.g., hex drive cap bolts) are inserted down through openings onthe top housing with the use of spring washers 326 and flat washers 328,and through openings on the bottom housing 306, before hex nuts 332 arefastened to the threaded ends of the hex drive cap bolt at thebottom-side of the bottom housing 306.

The insulation piercing connector 300 also includes an insulationpiercing assembly comprised of terminal adjustment screws 320, terminalhousings 322, and stamped contacts 324. The insulation piercing assemblyof the insulation piercing connector 300 operates in the same manner asdescribed for the insulation piercing assembly included in theinsulation piercing connector 100. The insulation piercing connector 300also includes an inner insulator 330 that covers within the top housing304, at least partially, the end of the stamped contacts 324 includingthe piercing tines when the insulation piercing connector 300 is in theassembled state.

FIG. 14 shows an enlarged view of the top housing 304 and anillustration of how the insulation piercing assembly fits within the tophousing 304 in the assembled state. In the assembled state, a top end ofthe stamped contacts 324 is shown to include shoulders that rest on topof the terminal housings 322. An exposed conductor portion of the tapwires 392 is inserted to fit within a space 374 between the stampedcontacts 324 and the inner surface of the terminal housings 322. Theterminal adjustment screws 320 are adjusted (e.g., rotated/screwed) tocontrol the size of the space 374 to accommodate the tap wires 392 heldby the insulation piercing assembly, to either secure the tap wires 392or release the tap wires 392 from the insulation piercing assembly.During an installation process of the tap wires 392 into the insulationpiercing connector 300, a user applies torque on the terminal adjustmentscrews 320 until a specified torque value is applied, thereby applyingpressure on the tap wire 392 that rests within the space 374 bycompressing the space 374 between the stamped contacts 324 and the innersurface of the terminal housings 322. The installation of the tap wires392 into the insulation piercing assembly of the insulation piercingconnector 300 may be completed prior to, or after, field installation ofthe insulation piercing connector 300 to the phase wire 396.

FIG. 14 also shows how the screws 303 are secured into the threadedopenings of the top housing 304. FIG. 14 also shows how the bolt 316 isinserted down into the opening of the top housing 304 to be received bya corresponding opening of the bottom housing 306.

FIG. 15 shows the insulation piercing connector 300 in a partiallyassembled state, where the tap wire housing 318 is secured to the tophousing 304. FIG. 15 also shows the tap wires 392 inserted down throughthe insulation piercing connector 300. In particular, the outerinsulator includes a top portion 340, where the top portion 340 includesa top opening 342 through which the tap wires 392 are received. In thispartially assembled state, the tap wire housing 318 is secured to thetop housing 304 by the screws 303 (not shown).

FIG. 16 shows the insulation piercing connector 300 in a furtherpartially assembled state where the outer insulator 302 is fit over thetap wire housing 318. The outer insulator 302 is secured to the tap wirehousing 318 via a snap-fit mechanism where the outer insulator 302includes four socket openings 310 for each receiving their ownrespective socket protrusion 311 formed on the tap wire housing 318. Theinsulation piercing connector 300 is shown to include four socketopenings 310 on the outer insulator 302 and four socket protrusions 311on the tap wire housing 318, however any number of one or more socketopenings 310 and one or more socket protrusions 311 may be usedaccording to other embodiments.

As shown in FIG. 18A, the outer insulator 302 is provided to fit overthe tap wire housing 318 such that the socket openings 310 come down andsnap-fit over the socket protrusions 311 of the tap wire housing 318.FIG. 18B shows an assembled state where the outer insulator 302 has beensnap-fit onto the tap wire housing 318. FIG. 18B also shows an enlargedview over area A that includes a specific illustration of how the socketprotrusion 311 fits inside the socket opening 310 to accomplish thesnap-fit attachment mechanism. FIG. 19A shows another enlarged view ofthe socket protrusion 311 in an attached state where the socketprotrusion 311 engages the socket opening 310 by being snap-fit into thesocket opening 310. FIG. 19B shows an enlarged view of a detached statewhere the socket protrusion 311 has been detached from the socketopening 310. The outer insulator 302, including the socket opening 310,may be made from a plastic or other elastomer material that allows thesocket opening 310 to deform for allowing the socket protrusion 311 tofit into, and out of, the socket opening 310 during the attachment anddetachment process.

FIG. 20 shows a bottom-side view of the of the outer insulator 302 andthe tap wire housing 318 in their attached state. From this bottom-sideview, the snap-fitment of the socket protrusion 311 to fit within thesocket opening 310 can be seen. The outer insulator 302 and/or the tapwire housing 318 may be formed using a straight-pull injection-moldingprocess, or other manufacturing process that does not requirecomplicated side action or other advanced manufacturing methods.

FIG. 17 shows the insulation piercing connector 300 in the assembledstate where the tap wires 392 enter the insulation piercing connector300 through the top opening 342 and runs internally through theinsulation piercing connector 300 to attach to the insulation piercingassembly within the top housing 304. Also in this assembled state, thephase wire 396 is securely fit into the cylindrical recess created bythe concave portions of the top housing 304 and the bottom housing 306coming together. Also in this assembled state, the stamped contacts 324(not shown) pierce through an insulation covering of the phase wire 396to make electrical contact with an inner conductor of the phase wire396. To achieve this assembled state, torque may be applied to the bolts316 until a predetermined torque is achieved to ensure proposertermination of the insulation piercing connector 300 to the phase wire396.

FIG. 21 shows an exploded view of an insulation piercing connector 400according to another embodiment of the present disclosure. Theinsulation piercing connector 400 is similar to the insulation piercingconnector 300, but having the outer insulator 302, tap wire housing 318,and related fastener components removed. This alternative design of theinsulation piercing connector 400 may provide improved structuraloptimization (rigidity), reduced number of components within the productassembly, improved functionality in the form of improved di-electricperformance, and a simplified installation methodology.

The insulation piercing connector 400 includes the top housing 404 andthe bottom housing 406, where the top housing 404 and the bottom housing406 are attached using the bolts 416 (e.g., hex driven cap bolts), thespring washers 426, and the flat washers 428. The bolts 416 are insertedthrough openings 443 on the top housing 404, and down through openings433 on the bottom housing 406. According to some embodiments, thethreaded end of the bolts 416 are secured to inner threads within theopenings 433 of the bottom housing 406. According to other embodiments,nuts (not illustrated) are threaded onto the threaded ends of the bolts416 at the bottom-side of the bottom housing 406 after the bolts havebeen inserted through both the openings 443 and the openings 433. Whenthe top housing 404 and the bottom housing 406 are attached together,they form a cylindrical recess for holding the phase wire 496, as shownin FIG. 24 that illustrates the insulation piercing connector 400 in theassembled state. The top housing 404 includes a top portion 440 and atop opening 442 for receiving the tap wires 492.

The insulation piercing assembly in the insulation piercing connector400 uses a simpler design with fewer components when compared to theinsulation piercing assembly used in the insulation piercing connector300. This simpler design will be described as the integrated contactassembly 420 of the insulation piercing connector 400. The integratedcontact assembly 420 includes a screw fastener 421 and an integratedhousing and piercing contact (integrated HPC) that combines the housing422 and the piercing contact 424 into a single-piece component. A moredetailed description of the integrated contact assembly 420 is providedwith respect to FIGS. 25-27. Related to the integrated contact assembly420, the insulation piercing connector 400 also includes an innerinsulator 430. The inner insulator 430 may be made from an elastomermaterial and be configured to fit within an inner housing of the tophousing 404 to cover, at least partially, the piercing contact 424.

FIG. 22 shows an insulation piercing connector 500 according to analternative embodiment that includes the insulation piercing connector400 using an alternative embodiment of the insulation piercing assembly.According to the insulation piercing connector 500, the insulationpiercing assembly directly attaches the stamped contacts 524 to anexposed conductor 494 of the tap wires 492. The stamped contacts 524 maybe attached to the exposed conductor 494 using an adhesive, weldingprocess, or other known attachment process.

FIG. 23 shows the insulation piercing connector 400 in a partiallyassembled state where the tap wires 492 have been inserted and connectedto the integrated contact assembly 420, and the phase wire 496 has beenplaced within the cylindrical recess being formed by the top housing 404and the bottom housing 406.

FIG. 24 shows the insulation piercing connector 400 in the assembledstate where the tap wires 492 have been inserted and connected to theintegrated contact assembly 420, and where the piercing contacts 424(not illustrated) are internally positioned to pierce the phase wire 496that is now placed within the cylindrical recess formed by the tophousing 404 and the bottom housing 406 coming together in the assembledstate. Although FIGS. 23 and 24 have been described as relating to theinsulation piercing connector 400 using the integrated contact assembly420, FIGS. 23 and 24 may also apply to the insulation piercing connector500 using the insulation piercing assembly that directly attaches thestamped contacts 524 to the exposed conductor 494 of the tap wires 492.

FIG. 25 shows a view of the integrated contact assembly 420 where thetap wire 492 is secured to the integrated contact assembly 420, and thepiercing contacts 424 are piercing the phase wire 496 to electricallyconnect to the conductor 497 of the phase wire 496. As shown in FIG. 25,the tap wire 492 is secured to the integrated contact assembly 420 byinserting the exposed conductor 494 into a space 425 of the housing 422.The screw fastener 421 is inserted into a fastener opening 423 of thehousing 422 and a torque is applied to the screw fastener 421 to biasthe screw fastener 421 towards the piercing contacts 424. This biasingof the screw fastener 421 moves the screw fastener 421 towards thepiercing contacts and thereby decreases the space 425 in which theexposed conductor 494 resides. Eventually, the screw fastener will abutagainst the exposed conductor 494 and push the exposed conductor 494 toin turn abut against the piercing contacts 424.

The single-piece design of the integrated HPC that combines the housing422 and the piercing contact 424 reduces the number of unique componentsand the number of assembly steps to manufacture and field-use theinsulation piercing connector 400. Although the integrated HPC is shownin FIG. 26 to have the housing 422 shaped into a cylindrical shape,alternative embodiments within the scope of this disclosure provide thehousing 422 in different shapes and opening configurations. For example,FIGS. 27A to 27C show the integrated HPCs 610, 620, 630 including ahousing portion with a cube shape.

In FIG. 27A the integrated HPC 610 includes a fastener opening 611 forreceiving the screw fastener 421 on a first surface of the housingportion that is opposite the piercing contact portion. FIG. 27A alsoshows the integrated HPC 610 including a space 612 for receiving theexposed conductor 494 of the tap wires 492 on a second surface (top) ofthe housing portion that is adjacent to the piercing contact portion.

In FIG. 27B the integrated HPC 620 includes a fastener opening 621 forreceiving the screw fastener 421 on the first surface of the housingportion that is opposite the piercing contact portion. FIG. 27B alsoshows the integrated HPC 620 including a space 622 for receiving theexposed conductor 494 of the tap wires 492 on a third surface (side) ofthe housing portion that is adjacent to the piercing contact portion.

In FIG. 27C the integrated HPC 630 includes a fastener opening 631 forreceiving the screw fastener 421 on the second surface of the housingportion that is adjacent to the piercing contact portion. FIG. 27C alsoshows the integrated HPC 630 including a space 632 for receiving theexposed conductor 494 of the tap wires 492 on the first surface of thehousing portion that is opposite the piercing contact portion. In eachof the integrated HPCs 610, 620, 630 having the cube shaped housingportions, the fastener opening may be located on a surface of thehousing portion that is perpendicular to the space for receiving theexposed conductor 494 of the tap wires 492.

Although specific embodiments of the fasteners and connector componentshave been described, it is within the scope of the insulation piercingassemblies described in this disclosure to use alternative types offasteners and connector components that serve the same functionality orresult.

Note that while the present disclosure includes several embodiments,these embodiments are non-limiting, and there are alterations,permutations, and equivalents, which fall within the scope of thisinvention. Additionally, the described embodiments should not beinterpreted as mutually exclusive and should instead be understood aspotentially combinable if such combinations are permissive. It shouldalso be noted that there are many alternative ways of implementing theembodiments of the present disclosure. It is therefore intended thatclaims that may follow be interpreted as including all such alterations,permutations, and equivalents as fall within the true spirit and scopeof the present disclosure.

What is claimed is:
 1. An insulation piercing connector, comprising: atop housing; a bottom housing, wherein the top housing and the bottomhousing form a central aperture for holding a power cable; and anintegrated contact assembly configured to be housed within the tophousing in an assembled state, the integrated contact assemblyconfigured to electrically couple a tap wire to the power cable, theintegrated contact assembly comprising a boss housing and contact tines,wherein the boss housing includes an aperture for receiving the tap wireand a fastener opening for receiving an adjustment screw configured tocontact the tap wire inside the boss housing, wherein the tap wire isconfigured to be routed through the top housing to couple with theintegrated contact assembly within the top housing in the assembledstate.
 2. The insulation piercing connector of claim 1, furthercomprising: an inner insulator surrounding at least a portion of thecontact tines while within the top housing when the insulation piercingconnector is in the assembled state.
 3. The insulation piercingconnector of claim 1, wherein the central aperture is formed by a topportion of the bottom housing having a first concave portion and abottom portion of the top housing having a second concave portion. 4.The insulation piercing connector of claim 1, wherein the boss housingis a cylindrical shape.
 5. The insulation piercing connector of claim 1,wherein the boss housing is a cube shape.
 6. The insulation piercingconnector of claim 1, wherein the top housing includes a first openingand the bottom housing includes a second opening, wherein the firstopening is configured to receive a carriage bolt that extends downthrough to the bottom housing where a hex nut is secured to an end ofthe carriage bolt at the bottom housing.
 7. A method of installing aninsulation piercing connector, the method comprising: inserting a tapwire through a top housing; securing the tap wire to an integratedcontact assembly by: receiving the tap wire into an aperture of a bosshousing included in the integrated contact assembly; and fastening anadjustment screw into a fastener opening of the integrated contactassembly to secure the tape wire within the aperture of the integratedcontact assembly, wherein the integrated contact assembly is configuredto be housed within the top housing in an assembled state; inserting aphase wire between the top housing and a bottom housing; and compressingthe top housing and the bottom housing into the assembled state until apiercing contact of the integrated contact assembly pierces the phasewire.
 8. The method of claim 7, wherein the top housing and the bottomhousing form a central aperture.
 9. The method of claim 7, wherein theboss housing is a cylindrical shape.
 10. The method of claim 7, whereinthe boss housing is a cube shape.
 11. The method of claim 7, wherein thetop housing includes a first opening and the bottom housing includes asecond opening, wherein the first opening is configured to receive acarriage bolt that extends down through to the bottom housing where ahex nut is secured to an end of the carriage bolt at the bottom housing.